ELSJ in the Spring
California poppies sprinkle the Bay Area landscape--a California indicator of spring. The loud pops of orange and gold always attract children, especially when they are sent out into a garden with collection containers. Sadly, Bronco Urban Gardens (BUG) has had to adjust how our garden education looks this spring as we continue to learn online. While the tiny groups of garden explorers are something to be missed, the spirit of shared learning continues in all BUG programming, as we partner with the Ignatian Center to support a range of Experiential Learning for Social Justice (ELSJ) experiences.
The BUG Garden Classroom is at the core of our shift to virtual platforms, allowing college and elementary-aged students to gather around garden concepts to learn from and with each other. Both the Ignatian and Arrupe fellowship programs have supported the work BUG continues to do on campus and in the community. These peer educators have been critical to the network of collaborations necessary to support community-based learning. Their dedication to BUG’s shared-learning approach has nurtured many student projects.
As a result, meaningful student work has grown from our virtual platform, which includes a virtual garden club for our families as well as beautifully crafted digital content for teachers and families. To learn more and see first hand what our partnership has cultivated, please check out the BUG Garden Classroom YouTube Channel or visit The Forge Garden’s social media accounts for fun ways to explore the garden and beyond!